Oregon tailback Onterrio Smith won't reveal the name of the mysterious sage who provided him with the secret to boundless success, but the words echo with gravity and perhaps should be engraved in gold leaf on marble tablets.

"No bloopies," Smith says, clearly moved.

"Bloopies" are what Smith did before he became the nation's best tailback, apologies to Ohio State's Maurice Clarett and Miami's Willis McGahee.

Bloopies are when you party a little too hard or blow off class or show up late for meetings or do something just generally dumb. Smith has his share of 'em -- just not this fall.

Silencing The Crowd

BYU quarterback Bret Engemann was about to make history, but first he had to get booed. The Cougars trailed Utah State by 27 points coming out of the halftime locker room last weekend. When coach Gary Crowton opted not to yank Engemann, as he had done in three previous games, the Cougars' demanding crowd vociferously expressed dissatisfaction. "I didn't even hear the booing," Engemann said. "That's how it is at BYU. They're always calling for the backup." Engemann silenced the hecklers when he led BYU on a 70-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter, and the offense scored on its next three possessions. His 18-yard touchdown pass with 6:46 left in the game gave the Cougars a 35-34 victory, capped the biggest comeback in school history and turned those frowns upside down. Engemann certainly didn't do it alone. Freshman running back Curtis Brown chipped in 217 yards rushing and three touchdowns, while averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Yet Engemann's performance -- he completed 26 of 43 passes for 294 yards -- gave the 3-2 Cougars hope that they can compete for the conference title, a notion that faces a tough test this weekend at No. 19 Air Force. Perhaps Engemann has found his comfort zone and will become the consistent quarterback to whom BYU fans are accustomed. The Utah State game was a microcosm of Engemann's season. He struggled in the first half, but, in fairness, was constantly under pressure and was victimized by dropped passes. He then showed flashes that he could one day join the impressive BYU tradition of quarterbacks. In the first two games this year, he combined to complete 56 of 100 passes for 612 yards and four touchdowns. In his two games previous to Utah State, he was 17-of 34 for 172 yards with three interceptions, and his job was endangered. After the dramatics last weekend, at least momentarily, BYU fans aren't calling for highly touted freshman Ben Olsen to replace Engemann. "The only way (Olsen) will play is if he'll be the guy all the time," Crowton said. Engemann said constantly worrying that he would be benched was frustrating, and Crowton admitted he might have given Engemann a premature hook in other games. Engemann said he's shutting out the naysayers and is listening only to his coaches. "(Crowton) hasn't told me, he's showed me he's going to stick with me," he said. -- Ted Miller

And without the bloopies there have been lots of whoopees! from Oregon fans (the preceding sentence is an example of a sportswriting bloopy).

Despite nagging ankle and hamstring injuries that hampered him early in the year, Smith ranks 14th in the nation with 122.4 yards rushing per game. He is practically unstoppable near the end zone, his nine touchdowns ranking him eighth in the nation in scoring.

After a bye week to get healthy, Smith ran over Arizona -- admittedly not the hardest thing to do -- for 145 yards on 28 carries. It was his fifth consecutive 100-yard game, which tied Bobby Moore/Ahmad Rashad's school record set in 1971.

Smith and the seventh-ranked Ducks should be tested for the first time this season Saturday when they visit No. 25 UCLA. In last year's game, Oregon escaped 21-20 when the Bruins missed a 50-yard field goal in the waning moments.

Smith rushed for 1,088 yards last year as Maurice Morris' backup, and Oregon finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation. Ducks coach Mike Bellotti called Smith "probably the nation's best supporting actor."

Smith now has a starring role, and he and his teammates are talking about an undefeated season, mostly because they don't want to again be everybody's favorite team that got jobbed by the BCS.

"That's our main thing -- 12-0 with a chance to get that 13th game," Smith said. "You never know what could happen, so we don't want to leave it up to computers."

Some pollsters were -- and some probably still are -- skeptical about the Ducks this season. Could they duplicate last year's success with inexperienced junior Jason Fife running the offense instead of Joey Harrington? Smith was the obvious answer to such an inquiry because of his preternatural talent and instincts, but Smith frequently has been a question himself.

He was dismissed from Tennessee after testing positive for marijuana. He transferred to Oregon, sat out a year and then got a DUI. He, at times, has shown a casual attitude about classes.

This list seemingly has to be ticked off with every story on Smith because it addresses the "character" issue. It's worth noting that many of his offenses aren't much worse than the average member of a fraternity, but Smith won't justify his past indiscretions, nor does he dramatically announce he's a changed man.

"It was a natural process," he said. "I took it on myself, knowing what was at stake ? I'm flying straight now."

At one point, Smith and Bellotti met regularly, and the coach kept close tabs on his star. Apparently no longer. Bellotti said he sees Smith making a concerted effort not only to be responsible and accountable but also to lead.

"I have no concerns about Onterrio," Bellotti said. "I don't feel there's a need to oversee what he does ... Big brother is not watching."

Of course, he is -- Big Brother being the NFL. While Smith reasonably avoids the issue, few figure the junior won't declare himself eligible for the draft, where he'd likely be a first-round selection ... if he convinces general managers that the "character" issue is not an issue.

Ergo, no bloopies.

"Nothing is a given," he said. "It's so close but it's also far away. I'm focused on helping my team right now ... but I think it should be a happy ending."

Around the Pac-10

Arizona
Arizona can't run or stop the run. The Wildcat's injury list is the longest in the conference -- already players have missed 25 starts. Coach John Mackovic doesn't know who his kicker is. And the Wildcats' opponent this weekend, Washington, hasn't lost consecutive games at Husky Stadium since 1976. Other than that, things are fine. The Wildcats are giving up 175.4 yards rushing per game, including 542 yards in their last two games, which means that even the Huskies' woeful ground game might have some success this weekend. ... Meanwhile, with tailback Clarence Farmer out for the season, Arizona is averaging just 90.2 yards rushing per game. ... The Wildcats have connected on just 7 of 13 field goal attempts, and the race between Sean Keel and Bobby Gill in a dead heat. ... The lone positive note is the passing game. Quarterback Jason Johnson is second in the Pac-10 with 283.4 yards per game, while receiver Bobby Wade leads the conference with 116.2 yards per game. "Right now, Jason Johnson knows he has to carry the load," Mackovic said.

Arizona State
It's pretty obvious where Arizona State's defense is vulnerable: the cornerback spot not manned by R.J. Oliver. North Carolina threw four touchdown passes against Brett Hudson, Josh Golden and Mike Davis, each of whom is trying to replace injured starters Lamar Baker and Emmanuel Franklin. Hudson is battling a hand injury. Golden gave up two touchdowns in UNC's 38-35 comeback victory, while Davis surrendered the game-winning, 74-yard touchdown pass. ... On offense, the Sun Devils produced 657 yards, including 474 yards passing from quarterback Andrew Walter, but they struggled in the red zone, converting on only 5 of 10 visits. Kicker Mike Barth missed four field goals. ... Defensive end Terrell Suggs isn't missing quarterbacks, though. His 12 sacks double any other Pac-10 player.

Cal
California coach Jeff Tedford said he doesn't know if the Bears' victory at Washington, their first over the Huskies since 1976, has generated any electricity among generally staid fans in Berkeley. "I don't get out that much," Tedford said. "I'm sure it's pretty exciting on campus but I haven't had much contact with the outside world since the game." Tedford likely is obsessing about the Bears' next opponent, USC. Before losing last year, Cal had won three consecutive games against the Trojans, and the Bears have won three straight in LA. Of course, during last year's dismal season, Cal lost 55-14 to the Trojans and had just 12 first downs. ... Cal has knocked off two top-15 teams this year (Michigan State and the Huskies) for the first time since 1951. ... Quarterback Kyle Boller has 52 career touchdown passes after throwing five against Washington. He needs two more to tie Pat Barnes for the school record. ... The Bears have outscored opponents 142-38 in the first half.

Oregon
All Pac-10 stars should be nervous before playing Oregon, and not just because the Ducks are good. In every game this season, Oregon opponents have been missing key players. In the opener, Mississippi State quarterback Kevin Fant was suspended for an NCAA violation. Fresno State played the Ducks without their starting quarterback and best receiver. Last weekend, three of Arizona's best players were out: tailback Clarence Farmer, cornerback Michael Jolivette and linebacker Lance Briggs. It's no different this weekend. UCLA faces the Ducks without its starting tailback, Manuel White, and best defensive lineman, Rodney Leisle. "They're hitting us at a good time ? again," Bruins coach Bob Toledo said. ... Perhaps this jinx is why Oregon has won 10 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in the Pac-10 and the second-longest in the nation.

Oregon State
Two weeks ago, Oregon State was ranked and looked like a darkhorse candidate for the Pac-10 title. But after losing decisively to USC and UCLA, the Beavers look lost. No team has won the conference title after an 0-2 start, and Oregon State pays a visit to Arizona State this weekend, where it hasn't won since 1969. Part of the problem is quarterback Derek Anderson is starting to look like a sophomore, which he is. Anderson, who was second in the nation in pass efficiency before the USC game, has completed just 24 of his last 74 passes. "There's been some indecisiveness in him," Oregon State coach Dennis Erickson said. "He's got to fight through things as many quarterbacks do." ... Moreover, the Beavers' defense, thought to be one of the conference's top units, surrendered 625 yards to UCLA, including 378 yards passing. Arizona State, which beat Oregon State 41-24 last year, traditionally isn't the right opponent for the Beavers to rebound against. ... The Sun Devils have beaten the Beavers six consecutive times and nine out of the last 10.

Stanford
Stanford has issues as it prepares to play host to a hot Washington State team. The Cardinal ranks last in the Pac-10 in passing offense, ninth in total defense and last in scoring defense. Quarterback Chris Lewis has completed just 48 percent of his passes and has thrown eight interceptions in eight quarters. He seems to be struggling with new coach Buddy Teevens' offense, though he remains the starter with Kyle Matter waiting in the wings. ... While the defense disintegrated and surrendered 65 points to Arizona State, the offense fell apart in the loss to Notre Dame, with three interceptions and just 78 yards in the second half. "We have an awful lot of young players," Teevens said. "Handling adversity has been difficult for us."

UCLA
UCLA quarterback Cory Paus turned in one of the best performances of his career in the victory over Oregon State. He completed 24 of 32 passes for a career-high 378 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions and wasn't sacked. That's the sort of effort that can get a quarterback out of his coach's doghouse. Paus was terrible at the end of last season, throwing eight interceptions with no touchdowns during the Bruins' four game losing streak. He also ran into trouble with a pair of alcohol-related driving offenses. "A lot of people don't think he's as good as he is until they play him," Bruins coach Bob Toledo said. ... After coming off the bench and rushing for 203 yards against the Beavers, freshman Tyler Ebell earned the starting nod this weekend against Oregon. "We found out there's a reason he had so many yards and touchdowns in high school," Toledo said. Also logging their first start against the Ducks will be Ryan Boschetti, who will replace injured defensive tackle Rodney Leisle, and defensive end Asi Faoa. Faoa will step in for Dave Ball, who will be suspended for the first half after being ejected for throwing a punch against the Beavers.

USC
If someone had told USC's players they would have season highs in total yards (453) and first downs (28) against Washington State, those Trojans likely would have predicted a blowout based on their overpowering defense. But that defense surrendered 516 yards, the most the Trojans have given up to the Cougars. Of course, if kicker Ryan Killeen hadn't missed two field goals and an extra point, hand wringing wouldn't be necessary. ... USC's biggest concern as it returns home to face resurgent California is the health of All-American safety Troy Polamalu, who is questionable with a high ankle sprain. Jason Leach will probably replace Polamalu, with freshman Mike Ross as the backup, though coach Pete Carroll might shuffle the defense and move DeShaun Hill to strong safety and redshirt freshman John Walker to free safety. USC's schedule is brutal: All five of the Trojan's opponents thus far and 10 of 12 on the schedule have been or are ranked. "There are no breaks on our schedule," coach Pete Carroll said.

Washington
Talk about bad weeks: First, Washington coach Rick Neuheisel watches his Huskies lose to California for the first time since 1976 -- a span of 19 games -- and end a 17-game home winning streak, and then he's hit with NCAA sanctions. The NCAA's Committee on Infractions barred Neuheisel from all off-campus recruiting until May 31 in its report on recruiting violations that occurred at Colorado from 1995-98, when Neuheisel was the Buffaloes' coach. This is a severe restriction on a coach whose made a name for himself with his charismatic recruiting style. "What made this case major were not only the calculated attempts to gain a recruiting advantage, but also the number and pattern of the violations," the report said. "On several occasions, attempts to be 'creative' in recruiting only resulted in 'creative' violations." Neuheisel said he won't appeal the decision because he doesn't believe the NCAA will change its findings. "I had my day in Philadelphia (when he met with the infractions committee)," Neuheisel said. "I made it clear that I never deceived anybody, nor was I dishonest. I thought, very honestly, I was acting within the rules. I was just trying to -- as the NCAA likes to put in quotations -- to be creative, and find ways to win recruiting battles legally."

Washington State
Perhaps national pundits wrote off Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser's Heisman Trophy campaign prematurely. In wins over California and USC the past two weeks, Gesser completed 51 of 88 passes for 746 yards and six touchdowns, despite a dislocated rib. He passed Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf on the Cougars' career total offense list, with his 7,278 yards trailing only Jack Thompson (7,698). He has a streak of 18 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. If the Cougars manage to win this weekend at Stanford, the school figures to redouble its effort to get the word out on Gesser during the bye week. "We've got a week off to pub him up," coach Mike Price said. ... The Cougars have to be wary of a letdown. While they have won five of their last six Pac-10 road games, they have won only once at Stanford -- 45-39 last season -- in 14 years.

Around the Mountain West
Air Force is the only ranked team in the Mountain West Conference at No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and No. 21 in the AP poll. Holding onto their unbeaten record and national ranking doesn't figure to be the Falcons' only motivation this weekend against BYU. Last year, the Cougars rolled over Air Force 63-33 in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the lopsided final score indicated. ... Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge had a career-best 161 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the 48-7 victory over Navy, but most impressive was his 107 yards passing. ... Defensive end Monty Coleman and center Wayne Southam are listed as questionable this weekend. ... BYU sophomore defensive lineman Brady Poppinga leads the MWC in sacks (5) and tackles for a loss (11). Poppinga won't get many opportunities to rush the passer this weekend against Air Force and its triple-option. In last year's meeting, the Cougars rolled to a 63-33 victory, and the teams combined for 1,113 yards of offense. The home team has won each of the last four games in the series. ... Freshman tailback Curtis Brown proved that the BYU running game isn't dead after Marcus Whalen when down with an injury. Brown rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the Cougars' comeback victory over Utah State. ... Colorado State quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt seems to frequently find controversy, even when he's not playing. With last weekend off, Van Pelt stood on the sidelines of Colorado's Folsom Field -- wearing purple -- while the Buffaloes played Kansas State. He told the Denver Post he was there to support his former Michigan State teammate and roommate, Travis Wilson, who transferred to Kansas State. "(Colorado) likes to think I would support any team playing against them," Van Pelt told the Post. "I had never been to Folsom. I wanted to be on the field with my best friend." Van Pelt previously enraged Colorado players when he threw a ball in the face of a defender after scoring a touchdown in the Rams' 19-14 victory, and afterwards called the Buffaloes a "sorry" team. Said Buffaloes defensive lineman Matt McChesney, "I feel the same as everyone else. We play next year. If he has that much hatred for us -- we play next year." ... New Mexico is 4-0 after bye weeks under coach Rocky Long, but this bye week came after an embarrassing 49-0 loss to Texas Tech, the first shutout defeat the Lobos have suffered in 111 games. Not only that, the Lobos lost their starting quarterback, Casey Kelley, for four weeks with a broken arm, after previously losing tailback Quincy Wright for the season to a torn ACL. Kole McKamey will replace Kelley this weekend at UNLV and will be the first true freshman to start at the position for the Lobos since Jeremy Leach did in 1988. Senior Justin Millea will be the backup. The 6-2, 185-pound McKamey rotated with Millea against Texas Tech following Kelly's injury and rushed twice for a minus-1 yard and completed 1 of 4 passes for 3 yards. ... New Mexico coach Rocky Long said that McKamey is an athletic, mature freshman, but it's hard to guess how any true freshman quarterback will respond to his first start. "It's a lot easier to handle coming off the bench," Long said. ... San Diego State quarterback Adam Hall ranks fourth in the nation in total offense with 341.6 yards per game, yet the Aztecs are still 0-5. The problem is their defense ranks 104th in the nation in scoring (36 points per game). While this weekend's opponent, Utah, is struggling offensively and has benched its starting quarterback, the Aztecs can't count on scoring too many points against the Utes' strong defense, which has held SDSU to just 10 points combined in their last two meetings. ... UNLV coach John Robinson called last weekend's 21-17 victory over Nevada in the Battle for the Fremont Cannon -- Robinson's 200th career win -- one of the best games of his coaching career. That's mostly because the Rebels' season was in danger of spinning into the abyss after disheartening defeats to Oregon State and Toledo. ... Robinson also has to be happy that quarterback Jason Thomas passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns and ran for anther 60 yards. Thomas also showed some fire by nearly getting into a postgame fight with a couple of Nevada players. That feisty attitude will be needed this weekend against another struggling team, New Mexico. Against Nevada, UNLV forced its first two turnovers of the season. ... Utah used a bye week to bench quarterback Lance Rice -- who's started 20 games -- and replace him with sophomore Brett Elliott. Utes coach Ron McBride made the move after the Utes lost three consecutive games with Rice running the offense, including their MWC opener against Air Force. "He's a playmaker who improvises well," Utes coach Ron McBride said. "He gives us an additional spark." Elliott, who has seen only 13 snaps in games and is 0 for 1 passing, shouldn't need much spark this weekend against a struggling San Diego State defense. True freshman Alex Smith will back Elliott up, while Rice drops to No. 3. McBride said Rice handled the demotion "maturely." "It doesn't necessarily mean Lance is out of the mix," McBride said. ... Wyoming ended its school-record 12-game losing streak with a 34-30 victory over I-AA The Citadel. Derek Armah rushed for a career-high 181 yards and quarterback Casey Bramlett completed 20 of 25 passes for 265 yards with three touchdowns in the game that wasn't decided until the final minute or regulation. The Cowboys figure to face a much tougher task this weekend at Colorado State.

Ted Miller covers college football for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.